Semifinalists named for $1 million Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition

An Airbnb for empty car seats, a cavity-diagnosis tool and an app for gaining weight are among 24 semifinalists set to duke it out for a share of $1 million in the ninth annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.

The startups were selected from a list of 300 applicants and chosen "based on innovation, business development and customer traction," according to a Wednesday announcement. More than 70 venture capitalists and community leaders helped to whittle down the list for the pitch competition.

Companies hail from across Michigan as well as other states, including New York and Kentucky, but all have a presence in Michigan. Most are focused on information technology and health care.

The competition launched in 2010, and its winners have hired more than 1,000 people and attracted more than $650 million in investment, organizers say.

In addition to the top overall prizes, additional sector-specific prizes include the Mission Throttle Social Enterprise Prize, the Laurence Technological University Hardware Prize and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation Caregiver prize.

Winners will be announced Nov. 13 at the Lexus Velodrome in Detroit. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.

Following is the list of semifinalists, as listed on the news release: